


Walls could talk

by feentanz



Series: One Shots [34]
Category: Nikolai Series - Leigh Bardugo, The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Smut, thats it pretty much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:33:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22564054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feentanz/pseuds/feentanz
Summary: Zoya took a deep breath, turning her attention to him for a moment. “This isn’t working,” she muttered. “Kiss my neck.” Nikolai’s expression was equally confused and surprised. “Nazyalensky-” he began, but she didn’t listen. “Do you want us both to end up dead?” she hissed, with a tone that allowed no talking back. She tried to slow her breathing as Nikolai’s head dipped, and his lips met her neck with lethal softness. For a second she felt her breath hitching, but she was determined to keep her gaze trained on Van Eck. No distractions.
Relationships: Nikolai Lantsov/Zoya Nazyalensky
Series: One Shots [34]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/594364
Comments: 5
Kudos: 56





	Walls could talk

“This is the worst plan we have ever come up with.” Zoya glanced around them, tightening her grip on Nikolai’s arm. 

He smiled mildly, pushing some of his red hair which accompanied the disguise of  _ Sturmhond  _ out of his face. “It was your idea to help Kaz Brekker out on this front,” he replied, dropping his voice low. They were surrounded by people, and no one needed to hear this particular bit of info. 

Frankly, he was right. Zoya clenched her jaw. Kaz Brekker and his gang of misfits had come up with a rather risky plan to stage an auction for Kuwei Yul-Bo, but for that to happen they needed to make sure that Jan Van Eck would not be at his house tonight. Because otherwise, the Wraith wouldn’t be able to plant the last bit of evidence. 

Unfortunately, there was only one place a man like Van Eck liked to spend his nights. The pleasure house which belonged to the woman named the Peacock. Zoya knew the woman probably also had a real name, but she had never bothered to find out. 

“Ravka needs Kuwei,” Zoya muttered in Nikolai’s direction, pushing a little closer against him to avoid losing him in the crowd. The brothel was crowded at this hour, and she had no interest to be mistaken for a  _ real  _ prostitute. 

The Wraith had provided her with an outfit that was apparently suited to her new occupation, and judging from the look Nikolai had given her when she had emerged from the room after changing it had worked well enough.

Zoya didn’t like to admit it, but it had done wonders for her pride when she had noticed the way his eyes clung to every bit of exposed skin. The dress was barely any fabric at all, leaving her entire back and a large part of her stomach exposed. 

A man suddenly stopped in front of them, quite drunk from the looks of it. His gaze swept over Zoya once. “When you’re done with her-” he began, but Nikolai had already pushed past him, given Zoya a hard yank on the arm and dragged her after him. 

She could feel his tension now as she ran her fingers over his shoulders, trying to at least keep a part of the facade. “We’re doing terribly,” she hissed quietly, finally spotting the entrance to the brothel. They needed to get eyes on Van Eck. Otherwise, this mission was entirely useless. 

Nikolai was grinding his teeth. “If anyone else stares at you like this again, I might not be so diplomatic anymore.” 

She shot him an irritated look. “I’m a prostitute today, I think that comes with the job,” she replied, shaking her head. “And it’s your fault. Apparently you don’t give the impression that you  _ own  _ me for the night!” Saints, he wasn't even really touching her. She slipped closer. “Wrap your arm around me right now, Your Highness.” 

Nikolai looked the opposite of happy but obliged all the same, his arm gliding over her back and resting on her exposed waist. Zoya had trouble to block out the shiver which followed after the touch. But she didn’t have time for that problem right now. 

They, at last, slipped into the pleasure house, the large building already occupied. Zoya tried not to look too closely at some of the couples who were occupying the sofas all around them, everyone rather engaged in numerous activities.  _ In the Saints’ name, how had she ended up here?  _ With the king of Ravka, out of all people. 

“Nazyalensky,” Nikolai muttered suddenly. “Van Eck is over there.” 

Zoya wrapped an arm around his neck to keep up the show, gazing over his shoulder to get a better look. She had to get on her tiptoes to even see anything. “Good,” she replied as she spotted the merchant, very relieved about the fact that Van Eck seemed to be alone, and not yet with any of the girls. She really hated this place. 

Nikolai gently pushed her in the other direction, his hand resting on her lower back. Zoya ignored the fact as good as she could, although she could already feel her judgment clouding.  _ Damn it, Nikolai.  _ “What are you doing?” she whispered, noticing how he was leading her away from their target. 

“Blending in,” he replied, almost smirking, and then he was pushing her down onto one of the sofas. 

Zoya shot him a dark look as she rested her back against the pillows, keeping her gaze trained on Van Eck. This was never going to work. She ran her hands along Nikolai’s neckline, trying to ignore the urge to draw him closer. This situation was bad enough as it was. 

He was still keeping his distance, as if afraid to take it a step too far. 

Zoya took a deep breath, turning her attention to him for a moment. “This isn’t working,” she muttered. “Kiss my neck.”   
  
Nikolai’s expression was equally confused and surprised. “Nazyalensky-” he began, but she didn’t listen. 

“Do you want us both to end up dead?” she hissed, with a tone that allowed no talking back. She tried to slow her breathing as Nikolai’s head dipped, and his lips met her neck with lethal softness. For a second she felt her breath hitching, but she was determined to keep her gaze trained on Van Eck.  _ No distractions.  _

Nikolai rested one hand at the side of her neck, turning her head to get better access to her throat. His lips nipped at her skin slowly as he went higher, tracing the lines of her jaw. Zoya found it increasingly hard to breathe. Her fingers curled up in his shirt against her will, trying to keep herself from getting sidetracked.  _ They had a job to do here.  _

Van Eck eventually turned away from the man he had been talking with, and suddenly looked a little too closely in Zoya’s direction. She quickly turned her head, keeping her gaze trained to the canopy above them instead. 

“You really have no talent for deception,” Nikolai whispered against her neck, and she could feel his grin against her skin. “You’re a terrible actress.” 

“You’re a terrible kisser,” Zoya shot back if only to cut through the sudden tension. 

Nikolai lifted his head, placing another kiss against her cheek. He was eyeing Van Eck subtly. “He’s looking for something,” he noticed. 

_ Probably a girl to bed.  _ Zoya felt the sudden urge to tear this entire place apart. 

As if he had read her mind, Nikolai’s hand came to rest at the side of her face. “Focus, Nazyalensky,” he said quietly. He was much too close to her. Zoya could hear his heartbeat through the thin layers of fabric still separating them. 

“No one here is buying this act,” she whispered back. 

Nikolai rolled his eyes. “No one here cares.”   
  
_ Van Eck does.  _ Zoya risked another look at him, and he was still eyeing them from the corner of their eyes. She was ruining this job, apparently. “If he feels watched and returns home too soon-” He would run right into Inej Ghafa. Zoya had no doubt that the merchant didn’t stand a chance against the Wraith, but his death was not something that worked well with the plan. 

Nikolai seemed to have reached the same conclusion. “Don’t kill me for this,” he muttered, and then he was flipping her over, Zoya suddenly resting on top of him. 

_ This was even worse.  _ She stared down at him, for a second not able to move. 

“Sit up,” Nikolai ordered and she followed along, mostly because she couldn’t will her brain into functioning just yet. 

Zoya shifted in his lap, carefully resting her hands against his chest. She hated this, hated every minute of this. Nikolai’s lips returned to her neck, nipping at the skin while his hands wrapped around her waist, drawing her closer. For a second Zoya was left to wonder whether this was still their act. 

She glanced at Van Eck again, who had at last turned away to continue his conversation. 

Nikolai’s fingers grazed along the length of her spine. “Relax, Nazyalensky,” he muttered against her skin, his warm breath caressing her neck. 

Apparently he didn’t realize that  _ this  _ did very little to make her relax. “I’m trying,” she shot back, struggling to keep her voice low. 

Nikolai chuckled, and then suddenly his hand was on her side, slipping under her dress. Zoya felt her last little bit of self-control snap as his thumb traced the outline of her breast. Her nails dug into his back as she pressed herself closer against him, tipping her head back to allow him better access to her throat. For a second, she came dangerously close to forgetting herself. 

Nikolai’s lips nipped at her collarbone, and yet he seemed to have dropped the carefulness. His thumb brushed over her nipple briefly, making Zoya shiver under the touch. She hated this.  _ She hated how much she wanted this.  _ By now, there was no doubt that none of this had anything to do with the roles they were playing. She couldn’t even pretend that it did anymore. 

And then suddenly, Van Eck disappeared behind a corner. Zoya snapped out of whatever trance Nikolai’s touch had put her in, instantly alert. “He’s moving,” she muttered, half-aware of Nikolai’s hand still resting against her stomach, under the silk of her dress. 

“We can’t just follow him,” Nikolai remarked, and yet with the tone of voice that made clear that he knew Zoya intended to ignore the advice anyway. His fingers brushed along the side of her ribcage one last time, then he let go of her. 

Zoya struggled to her feet, determined to ignore everything which had happened in the last five minutes.  _ It’s the dress,  _ she told herself. The less clothing she wore, the more did men get carried away. Nikolai was no different there. 

His arm wrapped back around her waist and Zoya hurried through the crowd, towards the corridor where Van Eck had disappeared. She waited for Nikolai to follow up - just to keep up the cover - before she slipped down the hall, inspecting the doors which were located on either side. Private rooms, most likely. 

Zoya didn’t wait for Nikolai to catch up but already walked around the next corner. Which she came to regret because suddenly she found a knife pressed to her throat. 

“Well well,” a female voice poured into her ear. “Who do we have here?” 

Zoya instantly froze, feeling the cold metal of the blade against her skin. She glanced at the massive woman who was holding it, at her fine silk dress, at the diamond choker on her neck.  _ The peacock,  _ she instantly thought. The Wraith might have mentioned her. That diamond necklace was rather famous. 

Nikolai suddenly stepped around the corner, and the pressure on the knife hardened. “Not another step, pirate,” the peacock purred in her usual voice, a smile now dancing across her lips. “The three of us are going to have a little talk.” 

Zoya was grinding her teeth as the woman shoved her outside into one of the alleyways, keeping the blade angled at her at all times. She was itching to use her powers, send a little bolt of lightning down that blade just for the thrill of it. But she couldn’t. If anyone here found out who her - or Nikolai - really were, they were both dead. 

Nikolai kept his gaze pinned to her, although she could see the worry in his features. The way he was trying to come up with a plan. 

“So,” the peacock eventually concluded, slipping a little closer to Zoya. “ _ You  _ are not one of my girls. Although you are certainly beautiful enough to pass as one.” 

Zoya contemplated ripping her head off. 

“Perhaps I’ll keep you as a trophy for one of my houses.”   
  
Now Nikolai looked ready to break every bone in the woman’s body. “What do you want?” he hissed, and Zoya was surprised to see his cool facade of diplomacy breaking. Usually, it took a lot more to make Nikolai angry. 

The peacock smiled. “I want to know what you two are doing in my house. And no lies-” The blade went higher, suddenly pressed against Zoya’s cheek. “Or I’ll carve off some of your girlfriend’s pretty face.” 

That was enough for Zoya. With the blade no longer at her throat, she had no more reason to stand around here in the cold. This woman didn’t know that she was a soldier, after all. Zoya kicked backward, hitting the woman’s leg which enough force to make her stumble. The knife scraped over the skin of her cheek, and she could feel it drawing blood. She quickly slipped away, in the process getting a hold of the knife. The fact that the peacock had apparently expected no resistance made it all so easy. 

Zoya felt a self-sufficient smile on her lips as she twirled the blade around in her fingers, then pressed it against the woman’s neck. “Maybe I’ll keep you as a trophy,” she whispered, letting the tip of the blade grazing the woman’s skin. The peacock made a nervous sound. 

Nikolai shot Zoya a warning glance, apparently having sensed her desire to cut the woman’s throat right there. Naturally, she knew that wasn’t possible, but having been held at knifepoint like that… she had let her guard down in the hallway, had been careless.  _ Because she could still feel Nikolai’s fingers all over her.  _

“If you mention this encounter to anyone,” Zoya muttered in a low voice. “I’ll personally pay your house a visit and burn it to the ground.” 

The peacock gave the barest of nods, her lips pressed into a tight line. 

Zoya pulled the knife away. “I’ll keep this.” 

The woman’s hands went to her throat, grazing the diamond choker. Then she turned on her heels without a word and stormed off. 

As soon as she was out of sight, Zoya turned to Nikolai.  _ Now  _ their cover was most definitely blown. 

And yet he was faster. “Are you  _ insane,  _ Nazyalensky?” he hissed, struggling to keep his voice down. “She had a knife pressed to your throat!” 

Zoya gave him an irritated glance. “She had a knife pressed to my cheek,” she remarked dryly. 

Nikolai skipped over the correction. “If you hadn’t insisted on abandoning your role this never would have happened.” Now he sounded accusing. “We never should have gone after Van Eck like this.” 

She hated that he was right. Her judgment had been clouded. 

“You’re bleeding,” Nikolai suddenly said, causing her to blink in surprise. She barely felt the cut on her cheek. But he was already stepping closer, one hand suddenly holding the side of her face. 

Zoya felt the world spinning.  _ Not again.  _ “I’ll be fine,” she got out, trying to keep her unbothered attitude. “We should report back to Brekker.” By now the wraith was surely done with her mission. This stupid charade could end.

And yet Nikolai didn’t let go. Zoya stepped back, her back hitting the wall, the stone cold against her naked skin. She was suddenly too aware of what she was wearing, of the little fabric which covered her skin.  _ This had been a terrible mistake.  _

He moved with her, stopping just in front of her. Leaving too little space. Zoya felt her self-control wavering, the feeling of Nikolai’s hands on her skin still too present in her mind.  _ Who cared if it only happened once?  _ They weren’t in Ravka, and he was not a king, and she was certainly not a general today. Even if someone walked into this alley and saw them, they would never know who they were. 

The temptation made a shiver run across her skin, and Zoya pressed herself tighter against the wall. “Nikolai,” she muttered, as his head dipped and suddenly his lips were pressed against her throat. She wasn’t sure if she meant it as a warning or an invitation. Perhaps a bit of both. 

Zoya sighed as his teeth scraped over the sensitive skin, his kisses hovering along the side of her neck. If there had ever been a moment to resist, it was surely over by now. She felt her lashes fluttering shut and then Nikolai was kissing her, his lips pressing against hers so urgently that a gasp escaped her. Zoya dropped the knife. 

There was none of the earlier hesitation left. 

She opened her lips under his, his tongue flicking into her mouth, fingers caressing the side of her neck. Zoya felt like they were falling, finally falling after having danced on the fine line of pretending for so long. 

Nikolai’s arms wrapped around her waist, picking her up, hooking her legs around his body and steadying her against the wall. She clung to his shoulders in an attempt to keep her balance, never letting go of his lips. The stone was digging into her back as Nikolai pinned her closer against him, fingers digging into the skin of her thighs as he shoved what little fabric the dress had away. 

A chill crept over her spine at the movement and for just a second, she hesitated.  _ This was a mistake.  _ They were risking their country. Nikolai was risking his throne. They were supposed to be here on a diplomatic mission. She dared to meet his gaze, searching for the same doubts she felt. 

Nikolai’s gaze was pure hunger. For a second she wasn’t able to look away, least of all act. 

And then his hands were on her hips, brushing across the bare skin, adjusting her position against the wall. Zoya barely had time to breathe before he was inside her, the sudden sensation making her cry out. 

She gasped as he rolled her hips against hers, thrusting deeper inside her, his lips caressing her throat. Zoya tipped her head back to allow him better access, leaning herself against the wall for more support. She ran her fingers along Nikolai’s back, feeling his muscles tense under her touch as he pushed closer, every inch of skin connecting with her own. 

She felt delirious with wanting, with the sheer need of touching. There would be no coming back from this. She would never be able to sit next to Nikolai and not imagine this, not imagine how his fingers felt on her skin… 

His hands grabbed her hips harder, shoving her more roughly against the wall, sinking deeper inside her. Zoya moaned, trying to press her lips together to silence herself. She didn’t need half of Ketterdam to hear what was going on. Nikolai’s lips pressed against hers again, his tongue sweeping across her bottom lip. It was all rush and hunger, and yet neither of them minded. 

Because this would all they would ever get, all they could ever be. 

Nikolai swallowed her moans as she fell apart around him, whimpering as the orgasm rattled through her body. She was barely able to keep herself upright, his tight grip on her the only thing holding her together. 

Zoya felt like having been ripped apart at the edges, the world blurring as she dropped her head back against the wall, trying to keep breathing. Her lungs were screaming for air, her heartbeat racing.  _ They shouldn’t have done this.  _ She took a few shaky breaths, her fingers still curled up around Nikolai’s neck to keep herself from breaking down. 

His hot breath was caressing her neck as his lips brushed against the skin one last time. Then his hold around her dropped and he carefully set her down on the ground. Zoya struggled to keep herself up, leaning against the wall for support. She quickly smoothed out her dress with her fingers, but she had no doubt that she looked as much as a mess as she felt. 

Just at this moment, the door to the pleasure house opened. Zoya froze because although she was properly dressed again, there really was no doubt  _ what  _ Nikolai and her had been doing. 

Nikolai instantly moved, shielding her with his body, as the guy in the doorframe peered at the two of them. 

“Are you done with her already?” He grinned. “I didn’t know you were allowed to take them outside.” 

Zoya snorted, but she didn’t miss the way Nikolai’s jaw hardened at the words. She carefully touched his arm, although the touch made another shiver race across her skin. 

But he actually pulled his gaze away from the man, turning around to face her again, still blocking the stranger’s view. 

“I think it’s too late to protect my modesty now,” Zoya muttered, watching the man finally leave and get back inside. “Everyone already saw me in this dress.”

Nikolai smirked ever so slightly, moving away from her. “It’s not quite Ravkan fashion, I agree.” 

Zoya raised a brow at him, crossing her arms. “You didn’t seem to dislike it before.” Definitely not when he had ripped it off her, but she didn’t say that. They weren’t quite at the point to joke about this yet, but she was searching for something to push through the tension between them. 

Nikolai seemed to share the sentiment because this time he grinned, shaking his head. “I never said I did.” His eyes traveled over her for a moment, lingering a second too long on her exposed skin. “Although I can imagine this might prove impractical while training students.” 

Zoya rolled her eyes, keeping her arms crossed as she stepped away from the wall. “Can we get out of here?” They had lost Van Eck either way, so the mission was probably over. Hopefully, he had not decided to return home too early. 

Nikolai nodded, although he still looked unusually tense. 

Zoya couldn’t blame him. She took a deep breath, following him out of the alleyway. 

Once they were themselves again, this had never happened. It couldn’t have happened. She glanced at Nikolai for a second, then looked away. 

_ It was all part of the act.  _ It had to be. She couldn’t imagine what would happen if they admitted to themselves what was really going on. 


End file.
